Expanding your collection

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jwither 12

jwither
12

In the hope of getting some conversation here, I am adding a topic that I would expect is relevant to any collector (if not "investor"). So the question I have, what else would you collect if you were to add anything new? If you already collect outside of South Africa now, you can also list that also. Below, I will summarize my current pursuits as well as those I would add if I ever do. The series below are not "wish" lists.

Here is what I collect now:

South Africa Union with the goal of a mostly full collection. At this time, this goal does not include any full KGV proof sets (the 1923 because it is overpriced) and the 1939 proof set. Most of the "key" dates will be acquired in AU-55 or AU-58 unless the price spreads shrink for MS substantially from current levels.

South Africa ZAR type set" I gave up the idea of a complete circulation strike set a long time ago, never intended to collect the patterns and cannot afford the more expensive coins in the 1892 proof set.

Spanish colonial pillars "type" set supplemented by as many of the minors as I can acquire in better grades, especially Peru and Bolivia.

Spanish colonial "lion and castle" quarter real set by mint. I have the six coins to form a "basic set" (at least one from each country with a mintmark) and one speciment without a mintmark. I am also particularly interested in any date from Chile or Colombia.

Austrian Netherlands 1790 Insurrection where I own six of the eight coins, excluding the crown sized three florin and gold 14 florin.

Bolivia Republic decimals 1864-1909, circulation strikes only and not the patterns or 1884 proof set.

Spanish cross silver type set for which I currently lack the four and eight reales. I will also add the bronze if I can find good enough specimens. The gold is very rare (except the eight escudos) and also either rather or very expensive.

Here are some other series that I would consider:

Mexican Cap & Ray type set and possibly, additional four reales specimens; This set includes nine coins consisting of four "Hookneck" eagles and five with the Eagle holding a snake in its beak and resting on a branch;

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SilverDoor 10

SilverDoor
10

Modern Chinese Coins: Especially silver 1oz Chinese Pandas, graded with a preference for NGC. I have been investing heavily in mainline pre-2011 silver Pandas below $100, mostly NGC MS70. Great numismatic potential, relatively low pre-2011 mintages and can still benefit from spot rises and very easy to sell internationally.

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jwither 12

jwither
12

Crowns from South Africa or elsewhere? If prices ever become more favorable, I would consider buying British low mintage KGV crowns as "investments" though not as a collectible, I far prefer the Queen Victoria "young head" issues dated 1839-1845.

On Morgan dollars, I have owned a few in the past. As an "investment" coin, I consider it to have the greatest demand and with it, liquidity of any single coin in the world. There are thousands or even tens of thousands of US collectors and "investors" with big budgets (by international standards) who buy these coins. If prices ever decline substantially or crash, I would look to buy many of the "key" dates in MS. This coin will not always make you the most money, but as a series, it provides the best opportunity to profit. I say this because the (presumed) correlation between this series and US coin prices generally is high. I do not believe you are going to see a "bull" market in US coins prices without the Morgan dollar participating.

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Pierre_Henri 35

Pierre_Henri
35

I would love to put together a type collection of world gold coins from ancient times to the 1930s when gold coins stop circulating. (I have no collecting interest in gold & silver bullion coins)

I have either owned or dealt in most world coins, but, with the exception of the Byzantine era, never had the privilege to own an ancient (Roman/Greek) or medieval gold coin.

If I should win the lottery, I would probably start a type collection of Roman gold coins per Emperor. My second choice would be a type collection of British hammered and milled gold coins per King/Queen until the Edwardian Era. Third choice would be a USA gold type collection – in the USA series, the flowing hair types are truly superb designs for me – for all issues – copper, silver and gold.

And if I should NOT win the lottery I will stick with my world silver type collection (ungraded coins). It is fairly cheap to collect and gives me immeasurable pleasure for filling many holes for between R10 and R100 per coin. These coins will always have its intrinsic silver value and I am not willing to pay more than that – so theoretically it’s a sound investment. (But the investment side does not really count for me here).

But for some reason, I would not drift from collecting coins to say medals, then maybe bank notes and then say to stamps etc.

Strangely enough, it’s either collecting coins for me or nothing. And I do not know why? When I look at programs on TV like the American Pickers, it seems like many guys are collecting freaks – doing EVERTHING from A to Z. From petroleum advertising boards to vintage bicycles to Dinky Toys and smoking pipes.

But I just like collecting coins and nothing else.

Pierre

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jwither 12

jwither
12

I'm not sure whether Americans collect more than others, but yes you are right. In the US, in addition to the traditional collecting fields such as coins and exonumia (tokens, paper money and medals), stamps and "traditional" art (such as paintings and scuptures), there is also what you see on Heritage. This includes sports memorabilia (sports cards being the most popular), movie posters, comic books and basically anything you can imagine. There must be tens of thousands of people who collect Star Wars "stuff" though I cannot tell you how much any of it is worth.

On the US coinage, I agree with you, those designs are definitely classics. I consider them more attractive than any others coins from the 18th century forward except maybe for the pillar coinage I collect. But many of them also come with big price tags which is why I have never considered buying them. I do not know what all of them sell for now but I can tell you that many of them have increased a lot in price even in circulated grades since I first started collecting in 1975. That 1803 VG large cent my step grandmother gave me in 1975 I believe is now worth over $100 versus $10 previously. The most common silver coin is the Drapped Bust/Heraldic Eagle half dollar (1801-1807) and a decent VF (one with "original" color and no problems) will set you back over $1000 easily.

On the ancient gold coinage, if you are interested in a Roman one, I used to see one particular stater in NGC holders graded "BU" regularly about six years ago on eBay. There must be a hoard of them. The ask prices were about $1200. I do not recall the mint but I believe it was from Asia Minor (modern day Turkey).

And speaking of medals, I think they are dirt cheap compared to coins and though I like them less, the artistry is actually much better. My favorites are 17th and 18th century European and Spanish colonials. The only ones I specifically do not like are those which are not round or that do not look "coin like".